The Bonus

Later, when the kids had gotten the presents Angelo had brought them and had been bundled off to begin their homework, Cindy put a cup of steaming coffee down on the kitchen island counter, and Angelo perched on a bar stool.

“Everything go OK in Atlanta? The weather good? You got what you needed done?”

“Yep, everything good,” Angelo said. “It rained Tuesday night, but I’d made it to the hotel by then.” Angelo had quite carefully checked the weather in Atlanta every day he was gone. This was a standard Cindy question. She always asked it—just to have something to ask him about his business trips. It wasn’t like she’d ever check. Angelo was so dull and predictable.

“Business was good too. I got everything done I went there to do.” Angelo lifted his coffee cup to hide the sly little smile that that statement had brought to his lips. “But I’ll have to go back in a couple of months. There always is more to do.”

“They work you too hard at the office,” Cindy said.

“It’s a job. There are so many without jobs now. I have to keep plugging away at this one.”